Apparatus for adjusting watches



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G. E. HUNTER & P. H. OORTHELL'. APPARATUS'FOR ADJUSTING WATCHES- No. 437,205. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

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G. E; HUNTER 8e F. H. GORTHELL. APPARATUS FOR, ADJUSTING WATCHES.

No. 437,205. Patented Sept. 30. 1890.

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e. E. HUNTER & P. H OORTHELL. APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WATCHES. No. 437,205. Patented Sept. 30. 1890,

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4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

G. E. HUNTER & F. H. CORTHELL. APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WATCHES.

No. 437,205. Patented Sept, 30. 1890.

provements in Apparatus for Adjusting same.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. HUNTER AND FREDERICK H. CORTHELL, OF ELGIN, ASSIGNORS TO THE ELGIN NATIONAL WATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING WATCHES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 437,205, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed'Iebrnary 13, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. HUNTER and FREDERICK H. CORTHELL, of Elgin, in the county of Kane, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im- Watches; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of our recording mechanism. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively enlarged side and end elevations of the Fig. at is an enlarged plan view of the upper end of the vibratile reed and the wheel engaged by the same. Fig. 5 is a like view of the mechanism employed for connecting and disconnecting the reed-engaged wheel with the recording mechanism, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the mechanism employed for vibrating a balance in connection with the recording mechanism.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In the manufacture of watches much difficulty has heretofore been experienced in the selection of balances and hair-springs which are adapted for use in a movement, and by the methods and mechanism in use the desired result can only be approximated.

The object of our invention is to render practicable the selection of a balance and a hair-spring which, when combined in a watchmovement shall be so nearlyadapted for joint use and for the particular movement as to render the rate of the same substantially correct; and to this end our said invention consists in the means employed for controlling or for actuating and controlling mechanism for registering the time required for a predetermined number of vibrations of a balance with a standard hair-spring or a hair-spring with a standard balance, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

It consists, further, in details of construction, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

In the carrying of our invention into practice the suitability of abalance is determined by causing it to vibrate a predetermined num- Serial No. 340.320. (No model.)

ber of times in connection with a standard hair-spring and a suitable train, and noting the time required for such vibration, which period of time is divided into a great number of parts, so as to permit of a fine and accurate measurement of the time consumed, not only by a single vibration, but by any fraction of such vibration.

For the purpose of vibrating a balance A we preferably employ an ordinary time-train, which is inclosed within a suitable casing B and actuated by a spring or weight. The balance-arbor 0 projects above the said casing, and is PI'OVldGd'Wl-ill a hair-spring D of standard strength and is adapted to receive and carry a balance and to permit of the easy placing in or removing of the same from position. The time-train is provided with ordinary stop mechanism, which may be released bya pushbutton E, and when so released will permit the train to run until a certain number of vibrations have been made by the balance, when further motion will be automatically arrested. The construction of said vibrating mechanism will be readily understood and requires no special description.

For measuring the length of time required for the vibrations of the balance A we employ a vibratile reed F, which is constrilcted from soft iron and has one of its ends secured within a suitable base G, from whence said reed projects upward, as shown. For the purpose of determining and varying the operative length of said reed its lower portion passes through a fulcrum block H, which closely embraces and is adjustable length wise of the same, and is supported by or upon a standard G, which extends upward from the base G. Upon opposite sides of the reed F are placed electro-magnets I and I, which are suitably connected with each other and with a source of electric energy and operate by alternate attraction to give to said reed a vibratory motion in substantially the same manner as in the case of the hammer of an electric bell. The length of time required for each vibration is determined by the operative length of said reed, and is in no manner dependent upon the strength of the electric cur-' rent, so that an absolutely uniform rate of motion is obtained by the action of a current having sufiicient strength to set the reed in motion. In order that said magnets may be easily adjusted to position with relation to said reed, each is secured upon a head or block '27, which is adapted to be moved horizontally upon or within the standard G, and is preferably so moved by a screw '11, and when in position is locked in place by means of another screw F, that passes through an elongated opening in said head and has its threaded end contained within said standard. A spiral spring I, placed between said heads, operates to press the same outward against their regulatingscrews i.

Changes of temperature may vary the operative length of the reed F and so change the rate of its movement; but such changes may be compensated for by adjusting the fulcrunrblock I'I until the sound produced by said reed has the required pitch, as determined by comparison with a tuning fork, pitch-pipe, or other standard.

The vibrating motion of the reed F is utilized to give motion to or to permit the move ment of a train of gearing in the following manner, viz: Secured to or formed upon the upper end of said reed are two pallets f and f, which are oppositely arranged,and at such relative distance as to permit of the placing between of an escape-wheel K, which wheel is journaled upon a relatively stationary supporting plate or frame L, and is connected with a train of wheels that actuate the register-hands M and M.

As preferably arranged, the vibrations of the reed F, through the pallets fand 1'', cause the wheel K to have a step-by-step rotation and the registering mechanism to be actuated so as to show upon the dials thereof the number of such vibrations during a given time; but, if desired, said registering mechanism may be driven by a spring or weight and its motion permitted and governed by the reed-actuated escapement.

It is intended that the vibrations of the reed F and the rotation of the escape-wheel K shall be constant, and that connection between the latter and the registeringtrain shall be made or broken at the instant when the balance vibrating mechanism is started or stops. This is preferably effected by means of a WheelN,which is journaled upon one end of apivoted bar 0, and supported in such position that while always meshing with one of the wheels P of the register-train it is capable of being moved into or out of engagement with a wheel upon the arbor of said escape-wheel by a movement of said bar. Opposite to the rear end of said bar 0 is placed an electromagnet Q, which is connected with a source of electric energy, and such connection opened or closed by means of or through the stop device that releases or arrests the operative mechanism for vibrating a balance, so that upon pressing a button E of the latter the current is cut oif from said magnet, and said. bar

is free to be moved by a spring 0, so as to cause the wheels N and It to mesh and the registering-train to act, while when said step device acts to arrest the mot-ion of said balancevibrating mechanism it also opens the electric circuit and causes said magnet to move said pivoted bar in an opposite direction, and thereby break the connection between the vibrating reed and registering-train, when the latter will instantly stop. The hands of said registering mechanism are set at zero by means of the well-known devices employed for such purpose, which devices are operated by a push-button R.

In the use of the mechanism a balance is placed in position, and its vibrating mechanism released and the registering mechanism simultaneously started, after which both will run until said balance has made the predetcrmined number of vibrations, when their motions will simultaneously cease. The time required for the completion of the required number of vibrations of said balance will de pend upon the weight of the latter, being less where the Weight is light than where it is greater, but whatever the time required such time is accurately noted by the registering mechanism in such fine divisions as to render easy the detection of very minute differences in the lengths of time covered by single vibrations of different balances.

It will be seen that the higher the rate of vibration of the reed the finer will be the divisions of time shown by the registering mechanism, and the smaller the error in the balance which can be detected. It is practicable to secure twenty thousand vibrations of said reed per minute, which will enable an error in the balance of one second in twenty-four hours to beshown.

For testing hair-springs precisely the same mechanism is employed as that described, except that a standard balance instead of a standard hair-spring is secured upon the balance-arbor and provision made for the ready attachment and removal of the hair-springs to be tried.

While the reed is preferably vibrated by electricity, the principle of its operation will be the same if a current of air or other means are employed for producing such motion, such principle being the utilization of the absolutely synchronous movement of said reed for the measurement of time and for actuating and controlling registering mechanism or controlling such mechanism when otherwise actuated.

The same apparatus which we herein show and describe is also shown and described in our applications Serial Nos. 3%,820, and 32i,821, filed September 23, 1889, and Serial No. 340,321, filed herewith.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is-- 1. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances or hair-springs for watch movements, the combination of mechanism for vibrating a balance or hair-spring a predetermined number of times, registering mechanism which is permitted to move and have its motion arrested by the starting and stopping of such vibrating mechanism, and a vibratile reed that is connected with and controls the motion of said registering mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

2. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hair-springs for watchmovements, a vibratile reed, which is adapted to control the motion of a registering mechanism, in combination with means whereby its connection with such mechanism may be made or broken, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. As an improvement inmeans for the selection of balances and hair-springs for watchmovements, the combination of mechanism for vibrating a balance or hair-spring a predetermined number of times, registering mechanism, which has its motion controlled by a vibratile reed, and mechanism that operates to connect or disconnect said registering mechanism and reed simultaneously with the starting or stopping of said balance-vibrating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

4:. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hair-sprin gs for watchmovements, the combination of mechanism for vibrating a balance or hair-spring a predetermined number of times, registering mechanism which has its motion controlled by a vibratile reed that has its motion produced by means of an electric current, and is adapted to control the movements of a registering mechanism, in combination with said registering mechanism and with means whereby the connection between the same and said reed may be made or broken, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hair-springs for watchmovements, in combination with mechanism for vibrating a balance or hair-spring a predetermined number of times,"and with registering mechanism which is adapted to move with uniform speed, devices that are electrically connected and act to simultaneously arrest or release the movements of said mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

6. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hair-springs for watchmovements, in combination with mechanism for vibrating a watch-balance or hair-spring a predetermined number of times and with registering mechanism, an electrically-actuated device which is adapted to arrest the movements of said registering mechanism and is controlled through a stop device upon said vibrating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hairsprings for watchmovements, in combination with registering mechanism, a vibratile reed which is provided with oppositely-arranged pallets, and an escape-wheel that is placed between and adapted to be alternately engaged by said pallets, substantially as and for the purpose specified. v

8. As an improvement in means for the selection of balances and hair-springs for watchmovements, the means employed for controlling the movements of a registering mechanism consisting of a vibratile reed provided with oppositely-arranged pallets, and an escape-wheel which is placed between and adapted to be alternately engaged by said pallets, substantially as and for the purpose shown.

9. In combination with the vibratile reed, which is secured within and extends upward from a suitable support, an adjustable fulcrum that embraces said reed and is adapted to vary the operative length of the same, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set our hands this 23d day of October, 1889.

GEO. E. HUNTER. FRED H. CORTHELL.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. PRINDLE, JOHN H. JONES. 

